Author Archives: Biologicalenrichment

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About Biologicalenrichment

I started a farm in the early 1980’s called Oikos Tree Crops. It was once a 13 acre pasture and overtime became a forest. Today I am dedicated more than ever to finding, preserving, creating and disseminating a wide variety of food plants. At my farm I explore new plants and healthy ways to raise them. I currently focus my attention on my seed repository while providing seeds and bring these new discoveries to the public at large. My farm is one of the oldest and most diverse maintained tree crop plantings in the U.S. using many plants from around the world as a form of global agroforestry applied at a local level. Every plant grown on my farm is grown from seeds. I use the tree crop philosophy as a means to expand the use of perennial, woody tree and shrub crops raised from seed without the use of chemical and high energy inputs.The two story agriculture is alive and well at Oikos Tree Crops. This blog highlights ecological enrichment as a means to improve human health and raise awareness of the possibilities of creating a healthy earth and a wealthy farmer. My story is told by describing my 50 years of farming and life experiences surrounding agriculture filled with my love of nature and my constant search for a greater diversity beyond the cultivar on a global stage.

The Laws of Nature Are Flexible But Not in Mattawan

I do not have a personal connection of any magnitude to what goes on in the making of laws or an influencer in any way in my chosen profession or in my normal life. I am a follower. I am … Continue reading

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It is A Good Beech On A Shore of A Great Lake

When I started my business, I really made use of a Pentax camera my parents bought me when I graduated from college in 1979. It was a perfect gift for me. As a recommendation of a high school friend of … Continue reading

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Who Art Thou Number 909?

When I first starting growing oaks in bulk for the conservation and mail order trade I was always on the look out for acorns. It was by luck that I took a wrong turn on a road I had never … Continue reading

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Lessons Learned from the Cucumber Magnolia

Trying to get seed of certain species of trees can be very time consuming. The Cucumber magnolia, Magnolia acuminata was one of them. It was very perishable. All the commercial seed companies treated them like lentils. You can’t soak them … Continue reading

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When Trees Move

I created a small garden that was once a parking lot for a motor home. The previous owner pushed out the soil to the side and filled in gravel as a base. When I moved into the home, I decided … Continue reading

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Random is Not That Random

We tend to think of forests as a random set of circumstances creating infinite random configurations of plants each situated spatially that is highly variable. Things are not in rows. We would tend to think, “oh this is much more … Continue reading

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Relax. It’s a Lilac.

It’s a perfect plant. Calming, soft to the touch, durable and forgiving is the lilac. You can’t say no to the lilac. Like a ballerina dancing through your home, the fragrance of the flowers relax and still your mind. You … Continue reading

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Seeds Make It Happen

One of my first connections I made with my business after graduating from college was supplying seeds to other nurseries. I was surprised at how much time that took. At the time, my little nursery was using seeds I collected … Continue reading

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Mackinaw Peach

There is something very satisfying growing a tree from seed. Every now and then I will save the pits of plums and peaches from the store and squeak out a few plants. Since all of the fruit comes from California … Continue reading

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It’s Just a Seedling

Here nestled into the leaf litter of a farm road I drive over, a small apple tree has sprouted and taken root. This apple tree might be considered an accidental visitor or a plant out of place for some but … Continue reading

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